Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the optimum frequency of electroacupuncture (EA) for the treatment of dysphagia after stroke. Male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal, model, 2 Hz, 50 Hz, and 100 Hz groups. All mice received a photochemical ischemia, except the normal group. The EA parameters were 1 mA for 15 min, with different frequencies (2, 50, and 100 Hz) applied. After a three day treatment, neuronal activation was detected by the expression of c-Fos. A multi-channel electrophysiological technique was used to assess the discharge of contralateral neurons and the neuron types in each group. The concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the contralateral neurons was also examined. In addition, the dysfunction of swallowing in mice was calculated according to the lick counts and the lick–lick interval within a certain period of time. The number of c-Fos neurons (P < 0.05) and the expression of BDNF (P < 0.05) increased after the 2 Hz EA treatment. The total frequency of neuron discharge in the 2 Hz group increased compared with the model group (P < 0.05). The pattern of sorted neuron populations was similar between the normal and 2 Hz groups. Consistent with these results, the lick counts increased (P < 0.05) and the lick–lick interval decreased after the 2 Hz EA treatment, which indicated a functional improvement in swallowing. These results indicated that the 2 Hz EA treatment had a good effect on dysphagia after stroke.
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Abbreviations
- EA:
-
Electroacupuncture
- BDNF:
-
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- TMS:
-
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- PES:
-
Pharyngeal electrical stimulation
- PBS:
-
Phosphate-buffered saline
- PCA:
-
Principal component analysis
- EM:
-
Expectation maximization.
- BSA:
-
Bovine serum albumin
- M1:
-
Primary motor cortex
- PSD:
-
Power spectral density
- NGF:
-
Nerve growth factor
- GAP-43:
-
Growth associated protein-43
- VLM:
-
Ventrolateral medulla
- NA:
-
Nucleus ambiguus
- CPG:
-
Central pattern generator
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Acknowledgements
We are thankful for the kindly support of all the workers at the animal facility of Jilin University for the animal care and the technical method guide.
Funding
This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81774406). The funding bodies do not play roles in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of results, and the manuscript.
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N X designed and guaranteed the whole experiment studies; S Y, Y L, S C, H L, C J, S Y, Q Y and Y Z carried out all the experiments, analyzed the statistical data, drafted the manuscript; N X edited and revised the whole manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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All procedures had the approval of the Animal Ethics Committee of the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.
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Yao, S., Liu, Y., Cui, S. et al. Effect of Different Frequencies of Electroacupuncture on Post-Stroke Dysphagia in Mice. J Mol Neurosci 70, 1871–1879 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-020-01580-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-020-01580-1